Folding bed



Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

UNTED STATES 1,682,023 PATENT orifice.l

NEIL SINCLAIR, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0 BIP VAN WINKLE WALL BED COMPANY, INC., OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

FOLDING' BED.

Application filed November 22, 1921.

My invention relates to improvements in folding beds and more particularly to that type of foldable bed which is attached to a vertically pivoted door so that by turning the door, the bed may be positioned either in the room or in a recess opening therefrom.

It is generally desirable -to attach the bed to a door of less width than the bed itself and to provide a narrow side door which will allow the overhangingportion of the bed te swing into the recess. The recess is also used as a clothes closet, the narrow door giving access to the recess when the bed is in the .room but due to the overhanging of the bed, lthe door is blocked when the bed is within the closet. rlhus each time it is desired to enter the closet 1t 1s necessary to swing the hed into the room.

lily improved invention aims to provide means for carrying` a bed on the pivotally mounted door so that access may be had to the closet with the bed either in the room or in the closet. With my improved invention, a vertically pivoted door, narrower than the width of the bed is used, together with a narrow side door and means is provided for shifting the bed laterally as the door is reversed so that the overhang of the bed on the pivoted'door or in fact the extension of the bed beyond the door always comes on the side opposite the narrow entrance door.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a struct-ure which will `allow entrance into the closet through the narrow door with the bed in either position and to avoid the objection to turning the bed into the room each time entrance to the closet is desired.

`With these and other objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements or parts herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

By referring to the accompanying drawings and specifications my invention will be understood.

Figure 1 is an elevationof the hed folded or upended and positioned on the outside of the closet.

Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe hed and closet, and also showing in dotted outlines the position of the bed when within the closet.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line {Sm-3, Figure 2.

Serial No. 516,939.

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the bottom of the door and associated mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a reinforced plate used at the bottom of the door.

Fig. 6 is a view in plan of the operating gears for causing lateral movement of the bed with respect to the door.

Fig 7 is a vertical section through the pivot plate on which the door is mounted.

F 1g. 8 is a view in section through the lower end of the tubular bed supporting member and the 'operating gear attached thereto.

Throughout the figures similar numerals refer to identical parts.

The numeral 1 denotes the'room wall in which is formed a recess or closet 2. At one side this recess extends beyond the wall opening 3, forming a pocket 4'; The wall opening is closed hy a closet door 5 hinged to the cas ing, as shown at 6, and by a second door 7 pivotally mounted on a central vertical axis as shown at 8 and 9.

The wall bed comprises a head frame 10 from which may extend brackets 11 to which the folding portion of the bed is pivotally attached as indicated at 12.

Attached to the face of the door are brackets 13 and 14 in which is pivotally mounted a tubular member 15 and rigidly attached to the latter are supporting arms 16 and 17. These arms, on their outer end, are provided with pivot pins 18.

At the center of the horizontal rail of the head frame 10 is attached member 19 having preferably a. laterally extending arm 20 which is pivotallv mounted on the pin 18 of the upper arm 16.

Extending between the lower ends o-E the side posts of the head frame is an angle bar Q1 at the center of which is attached a member 2Q. extending rearwardly and being pro vided with an opening by which it is pivotallv mounted on the pin 18 of arm 17.

The means bv which 'the lower edge of the door is pivotallv mounted. comprises a plate 23 which is fastened to the floor in anv suitable manner` and which is provided with an upwardly' extending hub Q4 which serves to center a toothed gear 25. The latter may be held in non-rotatable relation with the plate b v means of pins 26 that project'upwardly from the latter and engage openings in. the side of the gear. A pin 27 extends upwardly from the hub into a corresponding hole in the fili bottom of the door so that the door is adapted to pivotI on this pin.

'lloA prevent the material of the door Jfrom breaking out at the point where pin 2'? enters, l provide the reinforcing plate 28. lThis plate comprises the flat portion 29 which is attached to the face of the door by. means of screws passing through the holes 30. lt is further held to the door by means of bolts 31 which pass through the elongated openings 32 and bolt the bracket 14 in position.

l cut and bend a strip 33 at right angles to the plate`29 and provide therein an opening 34 having the same diameter as ythe pin 27. This'bent portion 38 is inserted in a saw slot cut in the door with the opening 34 positioned in alignment with the hole for pin 27. By this construction the strains on the door which tend to tear the pin through the wood. are transmitted to the reinforcing plate and thus obviates the danger ot the pin breaking through the bottom of the door.

Meshing with gear 25 is a toothed gear 36 which has a diameter slightly larger than gear 25 due to the :tact that when the door 7 turns through 180o the supporting brackets 2116 and 17 turn through a slightly smaller ang e.

Gear 36 is attached rigidly to the lower end of the tubular member 15. The pre- `tcrred means ot attaching this gear 36 comprises a plug 37 held in the lower end of the member 15 by pins 38. This plug has an axially extending hub 39 to which the gear 36 is keyed as shown at 40.

To prevent movement of the bed on the pivot pins 18 except when the door is moved, l provide a guide rod 11 the ends of which are attached vto'the angle 2l and to the side post ot' the head trame 10. This rod engages an opening in the bracket 42 which is attached to one edge of the door, the opening being elongated in order to allow the rod to assume an angular direction as the bed is moved by the supporting arms.

lllhen the bed is in the closet as illustrated in lligi'ire 2, the tendency 'for a person reaching through the opening of the narrow door is to grasp the side ot the bed trame 10 to move it out. But the pressure thus exerted tends to rotate the supporting arms in the opposite, direction from that necessary to rotate the door and in order to prevent any undue strain on the parts l provide a stop which is operative when an attempt is made to rotate the door by grasping the bed but is non-operative when the movement is made by pressure on the door. This stop consists a block i3 attached to the Yl'loor ot the closet and an arm i4 attached to one side vot the angle 21. By this arrangement, when the bed itself is pulled in an outward direction, movement is prevented by contact between the har and stop. lut when Losetas the door is pulled outwardly, the motion through the gears is transmitted to the supporting arms and the bed itself takes a rearwardly and sidewise movement so that the arm clears the stop.

lVith the bed positioned within the closet as shown in Figure 2 the operation is as follows: rlhe narrow door 5 is opened and panel 7 swings in a clockwise direction on its pivots. This moves the gear 36 in a planetary manner around the stationary gear 25 and so causes its rotation. This movement is transmitted tothe shaft 15 and thus to the arms 16 and 17. As the panel 7 turns, the bed moves out ot the closet through the opening of door 5, and at the same 'time the arms 1G and 17 shift the bed from one side ot the panel to a corresponding position on the opposite side. By this method ot mounting the bed on the door panel, a minimum width of wall opening is required and the bed always overhangs the panel at the side opposite the entrance door, giving 'tree access through the latter. when the bed is either closed or open and when itis in the closet or the room, and leaves at all times available and accessible the closet space behind the door 5.

While l have shown automatic means -for shitting the bed laterally on the door panel, it will be apparent that the gears for this purpose may be omitted and the shitting produced manually. rllhe mattress supporting 'frame is pivoted to swing in a vertical direction and is provided with suitable balancing devices, but as they form no part of the present invention l have not shown them in detail.

lWhile l have shown the hed and the vertical rod 15 as mounted on a panel and the panel pivoted between the iloor and ceiling it will noiv be clear that the supporting anis may be pivoted from movable bearings or arms which in turn are pivotally mounted between the floor and ceiling, and if desired the panel may then be supported from the said axis.

Although l have shown and described my invention as employing a supplemental closet door 5 hinged to swing about the vertical edge of the opening in a conventional manner it will be seen that l may employ in place thereo'l2 a sliding door without departing :trom the spirit. ot my invention.

.Although l have described the doors t? and 5 as relatively wide and narrow doors l wish it understood that 'these are merely 'words ot" identilication without intent to lli:

lili

restrict the doors to any relative dimensions .door 5 as compared with the door on which the bed is mounted is immaterial.

I claim:

1. A bed mounted on a relatively narrower panel, said panel rotatable about a vertical axis, a hinged door adjacent the panel and adapted when opened to allow the bed'to pass through the opening so formed, means supporting the bed in combination with the said panel and admitting of a lateral displacement of the bed with respect to the lface of the panel, and means forcing said lateral displacement as said anel is rotated whereby the bed both befbre and after rotation of the panel is forced to extend substantially beyond that edge of the panel then remote from said door and leave unobstructed the passageway closed by said door.

2. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is. a vertical shaft supported from said panel and having arms extending therefrom, and wherein said bed is pivotally mounted between the ends of said arms.

3. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is a Vertical shaft supported from said panel and having arms extending therefrom, and wherein said bed is pivotally mounted between the ends of said arms, and wherein said means comprise gear mechanism adapted to rotate said shaft as said panel is rotated.

4. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is a vertical shaft supported from said panel and having arms extending therefrom, and wherein said bed is pivotally mounted between the ends of said arms, and wherein said means comprise gear mechanism adapted to rotate said shaft as said panel is rotated, and a guide rod restraining the bed from rotating with re- -spect to the panel but permitting its lateral displacement.

5. In a mounting for a disappearing bed, a pair of armscarried on a vertlcal member and adapted to pivotally su port on a first vertical axis a folding be therebetween, said member carried in bearings, a wall panel carying said bearings, said panel movable on a second vertical axis and connecting mechanism between the member and the second` axis compelling the rotation of the member about the first axis as the panel is rotated about the second axis.

6. A bed in combination with a relatively narrower panel and rotatable about a vertical axis within an opening wider than said paneLva door adjacent the panel and adapted when opened to allow the bed to pass vthrough the opening so formed and when closed to effect closure of the said opening with the said panel, means supporting the bed displaced from the said axis and admitting of a lateral displacement of the bed with respect to the face of the panel, and

opening and adapted to partially close said opening, pivots on which said panel is adapted to rotate about a vertical axis, a door adjacent the panel adapted to close the remainder of the said opening and adapted when open to allow the bed to pass through the opening so formed, and means forcing the lateral displacement of the bed with respect to the panel as the bed is rotated about said axis whereby the bed both before and after rotation of the panel is forced to, extend substantially beyond that edge of the panel then remote from said door and leave unobstructed the passageway closed by said door.

8. The combination with a revoluble door pivoted approximately midway between its sides, of a folding bed of greater width than said door mounted to revolve therewith, and

ymeans for automatically shifting said bed transversely with respect to said door upon a revolving movement thereof.

9. The combination with a revoluble door, of a bed of greater width than said door pivotally connected thereto, to revolve therewith, one side of said bed being normally disposed approximately iush with one side edge of the revoluble door, and means for automatically shifting said bed to dispose the opposite edge thereof approximately flush with the opposite side edge of the door upon approximately a half revolution of the door.

10. The combination with a panel mounted to revolve upon an axis positioned intermediate its side edges, of a pair of horizon` tally disposed pivotally mounted arms, a bed frame pivotally mounted on said arms, said panel, arms and frame being mounted to turn in unison about the panel pivot, and means in connection with said panel and arms to effect a vswinging of the frame forward, relative to the panel, upon rotation of the panel.

11. The combination with a panel mount- L ed to revolve upon an axis positioned intermediately its side edges, of a pair of horizontally disposed pivotally mounted arms, a bed frame pivotally mounted on said arms, said panel, arms and frame being mounted to turn in unison about the panel pivot, and means including a gear mechanism, in connection with said panel, arms lli) and frame, to effect a swinging of the frame forward, relative to the panel7 upon rotation of the panel.

l2. The combination with a door adapted to swing about a vertical axis, of an arm mounted to swing in unison therewith, abcd frame plvotaily mounteL on said arms a fixed arcuate rack concentric with the door axis and gear means operatively connectingsaid arm and tack,v whereby the arm is swung to shift the bed frame reiative to the door as the door is rotatedn NEIL SNCLR 

